Dangerous Secrets
by Crystal7
Summary: Crossover with JAG. Placed here because its more Pretender than JAG. Basically Jarod hunts down some secrets of his and Miss Parker's at JAG. And why does Kate Pike look like Miss Parker!? Please R/R! (FINISHED!!!!!!!!)
1. Chapter 1

Jarod placed the final piece into his puzzle. His life was a puzzle, if only he had all the pieces to it. He had some pieces and was finding a few here and there as time went on. He glanced up at the breaking news report on ZNN. Lieutenant Diana Fielding had attempted suicide. The TV showed a busted up car and a blonde woman being pulled from it.  
  
***  
  
Colonel Sarah McKenzie, known as Mac by her friends, fought back the tears. Diana had only been with JAG for a few weeks but Mac felt as if she had known the woman for years. Diana was a sweet and kind woman, but she also seemed unhappy, despite appearances. Sometimes it seemed as if she was running from something or someone. A knock at the door startled Mac's thoughts, "Yes?"  
  
"Are you Colonel Sarah McKenzie?" A handsome man in a white uniform, identifying him as a Lieutenant, asked.  
  
Mac cleared her throat, "I am. And you would be?"  
  
"I am Lieutenant Jarod Carter," he replied. When she didn't react he offered, "From the Investigation office."  
  
Mac's lips formed a surprised O, "Sorry, I didn't expect them to send someone so soon." She got out from behind her desk and shook his hand; "I don't mean to be rude but could be please get this underway immediately?"  
  
The Lieutenant nodded, "My thoughts exactly."  
  
Mac led him towards the back offices; "Diana- I mean the Lieutenant was only with us for a few weeks. She was unhappy but I doubt she tried to kill herself."  
  
They stopped outside a closed door and that's when Jarod commented, "You saw someone try to kill her."  
  
Mac shook her head, "Not in person, no."  
  
"You had a vision," He reasoned.  
  
Mac stared at him, astonished, "How did you know that?"  
  
Jarod smiled slyly, "Lets just say I've had similar experiences." He pushed open the door and walked in.  
  
Mac followed, "Have you ever had them?"  
  
"No, but I know of someone who has," Jarod said, thinking about Miss Parker and her gift of the Inner Sense. "Am I free to poke around?"  
  
Mac nodded, "Of course."  
  
Jarod walked over and sat at Diana's desk. The first thing he noticed was a picture frame and the picture in it.  
  
"They call him Angelo. Sydney says he's special."  
  
Jarod's hands shook. "Oh my god."  
  
Mac sat down in the chair across from Diana's desk. "Ah, her brother. He was kidnapped when they were little children. She was trying to find him. Said his name was Tommy."  
  
"Timmy," Jarod corrected, without thinking.  
  
"What?" Mac asked, confused.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"You said Timmy." She insisted, almost accusing him of something, something she wasn't sure of.  
  
"He just reminds of me of this boy I once knew named Timmy. They look so much alike." Jarod offered, hoping she was buying it. Jarod knew right then and there that Diana had not tried to kill herself; the Centre had tried to kill her. To keep her from finding Angelo. Jarod opened the first drawer and found nothing but the normal office supplies. He found the same in the first, second, and third drawers on the right side. On the left side all the drawers were locked. "Why does she keep these drawers locked?" Jarod asked.  
  
Mac shrugged, "No idea."  
  
"I don't suppose you have a bobbing pin?" Jarod asked.  
  
Mac pulled one from her hair and handed it to him, "You're going to try to pick the lock?"  
  
Jarod fuddled with the top drawer for a moment and heard it click, "Not trying, did." In the top drawer he found eight red folders. Jarod's breathing quickened as he pulled them out. "She has them." He muttered, "Prodigy files, but why?"  
  
"Prodigy?" Mac asked.  
  
Jarod wanted to trust her he really did. But right now he needed to find the secrets about Diana. Luckily for Jarod Mac got called away for a phone call. After she left he closed the door and locked it. There were no windows so he didn't have to worry about that.  
  
Jarod placed the red files on the desk and dug down. He found five yellow files labeled: MERRIAM, JAROD, KYLE, TIMMY, and finally FAITH.  
  
Jarod flipped through them quickly. They were simply profiles. Nothing really special. He placed these on top of the red files. Lastly he found a blue file labeled: BOBBY. "Bobby…Bobby… Lyle!" He quickly placed this with the others and popped open the second drawer. In this one he found a box containing fifteen DSAs.  
  
He couldn't play these here. No, he needed to wait until he got back to his new apartment, thanks to Centre funds, to watch them. He shoved the files in his briefcase along with the DSAs.  
  
The third drawer was empty except for a key. 


	2. Chapter 2

Miss Parker ran her finger along the sketch of her namesake. A namesake that had been murdered by her father. Of course namesake wasn't really a way to put it. Her mother had named her but her father had insisted everyone call her Miss Parker and he himself called her Angel.  
  
That was if he was her father. Which these days she was beginning to doubt. But she refused to believe Raines was her father. That she would never accept.  
  
***  
  
Jarod flipped through the files. Why did the Centre have files on Merriam, Jarod, Kyle, Timmy, Faith and Lyle? They were nothing special. Just simple profiles. With the given exception of Faith's. She had been just an innocent little girl, but according to her file she had really been another of Raines' "secret" projects.  
  
He placed one DSA into the DSA player and let it run.  
  
"Faith now I need to concentrate."  
  
"Dr. Raines I can't. I can't!"  
  
"Faith! Concentrate! Damn it we don't have much time!"  
  
Faith sucked in a breath, "The woman on the right is frightened. She doesn't want to lose her family."  
  
"And the woman on the left?"  
  
"The woman on the left? She's sad and worried."  
  
"Worried about what?" Raines pushed.  
  
"She doesn't want the other woman to lose her family. She doesn't want to lose her own family. But someone she loves is forcing to do so."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
It ended there. Jarod glanced at the date. It was nearly six months before he, Angelo, and Miss Parker had discovered her.  
  
Jarod rang up Miss Parker and her hollow voice filled his ear, "What?"  
  
"Exactly when was Faith brought to the Centre?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Mr. Parker told you that he and your mother adopted her just weeks before she died correct?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"It's a lie."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Find out." Jarod said and hung up. He couldn't let her hone in on his location just yet.  
  
Jarod popped the next DSA in.  
  
Faith tossed and turned in bed. Catherine Parker was sitting next to her, "Faith? Faith can you hear me?"  
  
"Mom?"  
  
Catherine rubbed Faith's hands, "Yes Sweetie. Its me."  
  
"What are you doing here?" Raines wheezed.  
  
"Raines I will not let you torture my daughter anymore."  
  
"Damn it Catherine mind your own business."  
  
"Dr. Raines this is MY business. Faith is my daughter."  
  
Raines shrugged, "Not by blood! And now you let her know about you being her mother! How can you? Now we need to do a complete brain wipe to make sure she doesn't' remember you."  
  
Jarod sucked in a breath. "The wiped her memory."  
  
The next several DSAs were of Faith doing several projects with Raines and DSAs of her becoming ill and Jarod, Parker, and Angelo talking with her.  
  
The last DSA was disturbing.  
  
"Is she completely out?" Mr. Parker asked.  
  
Raines nodded, "She's being transported out to London tomorrow. I will reawake her there."  
  
"Well it had better be soon. Margaret would have our heads if she knew anything of this."  
  
Raines took a drag of his cigarette, "With Catherine out of the picture Margaret is no longer a threat."  
  
"She will always be a threat to the Centre, you know that." Mr. Parker argued. "Are you accompanying her to London?"  
  
Raines nodded, "I failed with her brother but I will not fail with her."  
  
Mr. Parker slapped Raines on the shoulder, "Good. Good."  
  
Jarod slumped back in his seat. Margaret? Were they talking about his mother? And if Faith was still alive then where was she? And where did Diana fit into all of this? 


	3. Chapter 3

Kate Pike walked through the doors of JAG headquarters. She was here again by the Admiral's request. She wondered what he could possibly want her for.  
  
***  
  
Jarod was slumped over his desk. He had gone over things a million times. Nothing fit. Not a thing.  
  
There was a knock on the door and Jarod looked up, "Yes?"  
  
Sarah walked in, "Jarod the Admiral has decided to pull up someone else to work with you on this case. This is Kate Pike."  
  
Jarod jumped out of his seat so fast he knocked it over, "Parker!?"  
  
Parker's replica tipped her head, "Excuse me?"  
  
Jarod shook his head. It wasn't Miss Parker. Parker wouldn't be caught dead with her hair up in a ponytail. "I'm sorry you just remind me of someone else."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"In fact the resemblance is uncanny."  
  
***  
  
The door slide open and an angry Miss Parker walked in, "Broots did you locate anything?"  
  
Broots nodded his head. "But I'm not so sure you want to see it."  
  
"Yes I want to see it!" Parker slammed her hand on the desk and Broots popped the DSA.  
  
"Is she completely out?" Mr. Parker asked.  
  
Raines nodded, "She's being transported out to London tomorrow. I will reawake her there."  
  
"Well it had better be soon. Margaret would have our heads if she knew anything of this."  
  
Raines took a drag of his cigarette, "With Catherine out of the picture Margaret is no longer a threat."  
  
"She will always be a threat to the Centre, you know that." Mr. Parker argued. "Are you accompanying her to London?"  
  
Raines nodded, "I failed with her brother but I will not fail with her."  
  
Mr. Parker slapped Raines on the shoulder, "Good. Good."  
  
"Faith is still alive?" Parker breathed.  
  
Broots nodded, "Margaret? Isn't that Jarod's mother?"  
  
Parker's thoughts were swimming. Had Jarod found her sister? And where did Jarod's mother fit into all of this?  
  
***  
  
Jarod looked over all the information. Nothing made sense. Especially now that he had meet Kate Pike. Was she related to Miss Parker in some way? She had to be. She was identical to Miss Parker. But Lyle was her twin. He drummed his fingers on the desk.  
  
Kate knocked on the door, "You look stumped Lieutenant."  
  
Jarod nodded, "I am."  
  
Kate sat down in front of him and placed a file on his desk, "I think we have a starting point."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Kate nodded at the file, "Diana Fielding didn't exist until 1990."  
  
"So she may have an enemy from her past," Jarod concluded.  
  
Kate agreed, "That was conclusion. We need to find out where she came from."  
  
And Jarod knew just where to start.  
  
***  
  
"So when was Faith brought here?" Parker asked.  
  
Sydney, who was poring over a file, looked up, "1968."  
  
" '68? Are you sure?"  
  
"100%" Broots answered.  
  
Parker slumped in a chair, "And where did she go after she was transported to London?"  
  
"Well her files were top security only and I only managed to get a small piece of information before I was cut off."  
  
"What?" Parker snapped.  
  
Broots handed her a print out of the information, "She was then transported to Germany where she lived until the mid-80s."  
  
"Where'd she go?" Parker asked.  
  
Sydney shrugged, "Your guess is as good as ours."  
  
***  
  
Jarod held Diana's hand in his, "Oh Diana, who are you?"  
  
Mac stood at the doorway watching Jarod. He was so compassionate. He had no idea who Diana was but he acted as though he'd known her for years.  
  
Jarod squeezed her hand and brought it to his lips, "I won't let them hurt you anymore. I promise."  
  
"Let who?" Mac asked.  
  
Jarod jumped and managed to regain his thoughts, "Whoever did this to her."  
  
Mac handed him a file. "Diana's prints came out blank."  
  
"No ID?"  
  
"None at all. It's as if she never existed and we contacted the colonel she served under and he claimed that he never heard of her before."  
  
Jarod sucked in a breath. It had the Centre fingerprints all over it. 


	4. Chapter 4

Parker was sitting back with a large glass of vodka and the print out about Faith when her phone rang, "What?"  
  
"Did you learn about Faith?"  
  
"She was brought her in 1968."  
  
"Ah. Funny thing isn't it Parker?"  
  
Parker slammed her glass down, "Damn it Jarod don't play games when it comes Faith! She is my sister!"  
  
"I'm not playing games Parker! I am as much in the dark as you are!"  
  
"No you're not."  
  
"This time I am." Jarod hung up.  
  
Jarod placed his cell phone down and rustled through some papers. Nothing. Diana defiantly had ties with the Centre and Faith. He just didn't know what. She had prodigy files, files on him, Timmy, Kyle, Faith, Miss Parker real name being Merriam, and Lyle. Why? Why were there file duplicates of the prodigy files? Well almost duplicates.  
  
A knock on the door disturbed his thoughts, "Just a moment." Jarod cleaned up the files and shut the DSA case. He flung open the door, "Kate! Come in."  
  
Kate entered. "Nice place."  
  
Jarod huffed. "Would you like something to eat? I was just making dinner."  
  
"That'd be great."  
  
Jarod left and headed for the kitchen.  
  
Kate ran her hand over the silver case. She wondered what it was and her curiosity got the best of her. She flipped it open and looked at a small CD in it. She pressed the play button and watched in stunned shock as a woman, exactly like her, walked through the hall and a moment later she heard the woman, Kate's voice, scream, "No! No! Leave me alone!" Three gunshots rang out and Kate jumped. A man's voice was heard next, "No keep her back!" And a much younger version of Kate was dragged through the doors by two men. She was screaming, "No Mama! No! Mama! No!"  
  
Two tears rolled down Kate's cheeks. Who were these people?"  
  
Jarod came through the door and said, "So how do…" His voice trailed off as she saw the tear-stained face of Miss Parker on the screen of his DSA. "Oh no."  
  
Kate turned to him. The tears falling from her cheeks, "Who are these people?"  
  
Jarod slammed the DSA player's lid closed. "I didn't want to say anything to you until I was 100% sure."  
  
"Sure of what?"  
  
"Sit down." Jarod said. "I'll tell you everything."  
  
***  
  
"Did you locate Faith?" Parker asked coming into her office.  
  
"No. But we did locate Jarod, we think."  
  
"Jarod?" Parker asked.  
  
Sydney nodded, "A few days ago Lyle left and went to Virginia and now a Diana Fielding is a hospital for attempting to run her car into a tree."  
  
"You think Jarod may be there?"  
  
Sydney nodded, "With JAG. Yes."  
  
"Lets go." 


	5. Chapter 5

Kate wiped the tears from her cheeks. "So this Catherine Parker could possibly be my mother?"  
  
Jarod nodded, "You were adopted weren't you?"  
  
Kate nodded, "I didn't know it until college and I never really looked for my biological parents because I figured if they gave me up they didn't want me and so I didn't want them either."  
  
"Catherine Parker never would have given up her child. If you are indeed her child, as I suspect you are, you were probably taken from her."  
  
"You mean kidnapped?" Kate cried.  
  
"Very likely."  
  
Kate sucked in a breath. "Great."  
  
***  
  
Miss Parker looked at the guard there on the first floor of the JAG offices. She held out a picture of Jarod, "Have you seen this man?"  
  
"Jarod Carter?"  
  
"Carter. Right. Where would he be now?"  
  
***  
  
Jarod finished putting away some of the files in his office. Mac looked at him, "Why is this so personal?"  
  
"My sister was nearly murdered by an old enemy of mine and he made it look like a suicide."  
  
"Oh." Mac said, "I'm sorry."  
  
Jarod shrugged.  
  
Mac took a small stake of files from his desk. "I'll bring these over to Kate."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
***  
  
Miss Parker, Sam, Sydney, and Broots stepped off the elevator. A man Parker did not recognize said, "Kate! I need to talk to you."  
  
Parker looked at him over the top of her shades, "Better get your eyes checked kid. My name's not Kate." And she walked away.  
  
Parker lead the three men into a busy area of the offices and asked a young blonde, "Do you know where I can find Jarod Carter?"  
  
The woman nodded and pointed at an office, "He's in his office."  
  
Harm approached her, "I wonder what's up with Kate? When I told her I needed to talk to her she told me to get my eyes checked."  
  
Harriet nodded, "She didn't know where Carter was either. I found that strange."  
  
Parker kicked the door open and heard several people gasp. Her and Sam whipped out their guns and pointed them at Jarod.  
  
Jarod looked up, not as stunned as Parker would have liked. "I see you found me."  
  
Parker nearly grinned. "Time to come home Jarod."  
  
A voice behind Parker made her jump, "Jarod what's going on?"  
  
Parker spun around and found herself looking at her mirror image. 


	6. Chapter 6

Willie hurried down the halls of the Centre. "Mr. Lyle!"  
  
The nine-fingered man turned to look at the sweeper, "Yes?"  
  
"I think you'd like to know that Miss Parker, Sydney, Sam, and Mr. Broots have gone to Virginia."  
  
"Shit."  
  
***  
  
Miss Parker stood in the corner of Jarod's office. The door was closed and the blinds were down. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
"Miss Parker this is Kate Pike and I believe she may be your sister."  
  
Parker opened her mouth to argue that she did not have a sister but knew it was pointless. There were many things she did not know. "How?"  
  
"Well Miss Parker she is exactly three years younger than you."  
  
Parker looked at Syd, "Did you know about this?"  
  
Sydney shook her head, "I only knew what your mother wanted me to know."  
  
"You know for being my mother's shrink you sure didn't know a lot about her."  
  
Jarod was unsure of what to say, "I would like to do a DNA test on you and Kate. See if you really are sisters."  
  
"Jarod this isn't possible!" Parker cried.  
  
Jarod handed Parker a picture of Catherine, Ben, and a young baby. "Are you sure?"  
  
***  
  
Dr. Michaels watched at Diana tossed and turned. Something was eating away at this young woman. He phoned Colonel McKenzie. She needed to know about this.  
  
***  
  
Mac threw open the door to Jarod's office. "Jarod Diana is waking up."  
  
***  
  
Jarod, Mac, Sam, Parker, Kate, Syd, Broots, and Harm hurried down the hall to Diana's room. When they entered they were all stunned by Diana's eyes fluttering. Jarod and Parker quickly slammed the door shut in the other's faces and locked it.  
  
"Hey!" Mac cried.  
  
Jarod drew down the blinds. He quickly sat down next to Diana. "Jarod you were really anxious to get the three of us alone. Why?"  
  
Jarod handed her a file. "Diana was born and raised for the first several years of her life in America. Blue Cove, Delaware to be exact."  
  
Parker looked at him with a stunned expression.  
  
"Diana was, conveniently, home schooled. After her "parents" died in a fire in 1968 she was sent off to live her "aunt and uncle" in London."  
  
Parker opened her mouth to say something but Jarod wasn't finished.  
  
"She had enlisted in the navy at age 18. In 1985 her aunt and uncle both died in a car crash. Diana being old enough to take care of herself wanted to find her roots. She traveled to Germany to find her grandparents. She found something disturbing and spent the next five years locked away. She ran away from there in '90 and returned to her work. She married in 1995 but her husband died during heart surgery later that same year. She spent the next five years claiming that he was murdered by the same people who raised her. Then in 2000 she realized someone was stalking her. They kept sending her disturbing images of herself and it nearly drove her to insanity."  
  
"I still don't understand."  
  
"Diana is Faith."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I managed, thanks to my source, to get a DNA sample of Faith from the Centre and compared it to Diana's. They are the same."  
  
"My god."  
  
***  
  
Kate twiddled her thumbs and felt like she was on the verge of fainting.  
  
"Parker!" A man's voice cried.  
  
She turned to the mysterious man, "Yes?"  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Sydney and Broots stared at Lyle in shock, "Lyle let her go!" Sydney cried grabbing the enraged man off Kate.  
  
Lyle pointed a finger at Sydney, "Don't tell me what to do old man!" Lyle slammed Syd up against the wall, "What are you doing here!?"  
  
"Lyle let Syd go." Parker's voice said from behind him.  
  
Lyle turned to see Parker, arms crossed, standing next to an exact image of herself. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
Jarod slammed the side of his pistol against Lyle's cheek and Lyle fell to the floor unconscious. "As if you didn't know." 


	7. Chapter 7

Lyle was slumped over on the wooded chair. Mac and Harm sat in the far corner, more lost then ever.  
  
Parker pulled out a knife and Mac jumped up to say something but Harm stopped her, "Mac this is their business."  
  
"And we're caught in the middle of it," Mac hissed.  
  
"Maybe if we sit still and quite they will just leave us be and we can sneak out of here."  
  
"Oh perfect," Mac said sarcastically.  
  
Parker ran the knife down the side of Lyle's face, "Wake up little brother." She slammed her hand across his check, "WAKE UP!"  
  
Lyle gave a start and found himself staring into Parker's face, "God your beautiful."  
  
"God you are one sick bastard, you know that?"  
  
Lyle grinned but didn't answer.  
  
Jarod came up beside Parker with a pistol in his hand, "I should have killed you long ago."  
  
"But you were just too compassionate," Lyle sneered.  
  
Jarod jammed the gun up into his neck, "But this time I won't be."  
  
Broots was shaking in a corner with Syd watching with keen interest. Lyle had it coming, no doubt. Sam was standing watch outside the door and the mysterious Kate Pike was caring for Diana, no Faith, in the other room.  
  
Parker gritted her teeth. It took all her self-control to keep from killing her brother, "You knew about Faith."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Parker put the tip of the knife against his throat, "Don't play games with me. Just think of it this way. If you're dead I'm the only left to inherit the Parker legacy."  
  
Lyle stared at his sister, "But you don't want it."  
  
Parker shrugged, "Maybe I can turn something bad into something good." Jarod handed Parker a picture and she looked at and then placed it in front of Lyle. "Tell me about them."  
  
Lyle shrugged, "How the hell would I know what Catherine and Margaret were doing together?"  
  
Parker raised her eyebrows, "Catherine? Interesting."  
  
Syd was confused. She knew her mother's name. What was she doing?  
  
"For years," Parker drawled, "You pounded it in my mind over and over again that my mother was your mother and now you call her Catherine. Interesting."  
  
Lyle coughed. "All right. I'll tell you."  
  
Jarod, still pointing the gun at him, said, "And we should trust your word of mouth?"  
  
Lyle tried to shrug but couldn't because of the ropes, "Margaret's parents and our grandparents, Catherine's parents, were involved with great- granddaddy's 'secret society.' The police decided to take action one night and Margaret and Catherine's parents were both killed in the raid. As was Auntie Dorothy."  
  
"Aunt Dorothy?" Parker whispered. So she had existed after all.  
  
"Yes, Aunt Dorothy. Our mother was sent to live with her aunt, who was a nun. Margaret was sent to live with her aunt and uncle as well, the Raines' family."  
  
Jarod dropped the gun he was holding. Luckily the safety was on and all it did was make a clatter.  
  
Parker's eyes widened and she turned to Jarod. She saw an expression of pain that must of mirrored her own.  
  
"By that time the Raines' had all ready adopted their son, William. Anyway the Raines family had ties to the Centre and so Margaret and Raines became to work for it. Margaret worked in The Tower for several years until she met an Air Force Major. Major Charles."  
  
Parker thought she was going to vomit. She clutched her stomach and sat down on the loveseat, where Jarod was all ready being to sit on, in stunned shock.  
  
Sydney decided that since Lyle was answering questions he would ask his own, "What was the point of killing Jarod and being him back to life?"  
  
Mac and Harm, whose heads were in the hands trying to absorb all this confusing information, both looked up with stunned expressions.  
  
Lyle sighed, "Back then I was only watched the Centre business for the Triumvirate. I didn't know what it was all about I was just there to watch over and make sure Jarod didn't die. After I found out about who I really was I was told the truth behind the project."  
  
"Which is?" Broots asked, finally breaking his silence.  
  
"The Triumvirate wanted to know if the scrolls were real."  
  
Mac whispered, "Scrolls?"  
  
Harm couldn't even move. This was all too weird.  
  
"How does killing me relate to the scrolls?" Jarod asked.  
  
"If you saw pearly white gates or a big red guy with horns would prove if the scrolls were real or not."  
  
Parker shook her head, "Are you saying if he saw heaven or hell then it would prove the scrolls were real and if he saw nothing then they were not real?"  
  
Lyle nodded. His head hurt a lot. He knew he had a lot of bruises and cuts. "Basically."  
  
"And what did I see?" Jarod asked in horror.  
  
"I don't know. You wouldn't tell us. We killed you over and over again and still you refused to tell us."  
  
"Maybe he couldn't," Parker offered. She had been near death many times in her life and every time she had always seen her mother.  
  
Broots asked his own question. He couldn't help it, he was curious, "How would seeing the afterlife prove if the scrolls were real or not?"  
  
Lyle stared at Broots as though he had just asked the dumbest question. "Religious mumbo jumbo. The scrolls were written by the hand of Satan apparently."  
  
"The devils storm," Parker murmured.  
  
"What?" Jarod asked.  
  
Parker turned to him. "I never thought about it before but that storm came just time to strand us alone on that isle."  
  
Jarod looked at her, "I never thought of that."  
  
Kate came out of the spare bedroom, "Faith's asleep."  
  
Jarod nodded, "Good. She's gonna need all the rest she can get."  
  
Parker looked at Syd, "Is there anyway to get Angelo out of the Centre?"  
  
Sydney shrugged, "Its all up to him."  
  
Parker then turned back to Jarod, "Who IS your inside source? I mean who has been helping you?"  
  
Jarod looked at her, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
"Try me."  
  
Rather than tell her straight out he said, "Well we've both known him for a long time and always refers to himself as 'Cousin It' in his e-mails."  
  
Parker's eyes grew as big as saucers, "Are you serious?"  
  
"Angelo?" Broots cried, "How is that possible?"  
  
Jarod shrugged, "You don't give him enough credit."  
  
"Well now I know who the leak is." Lyle said.  
  
Jarod pulled out a needle filled with blue liquid from the case next to him. "But not for long."  
  
Lyle was startled, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Just giving you what you deserve." Jarod said and plunged the needle into Lyle's arm. 


	8. Chapter 8

"NO!" Mac cried, breaking her silence.  
  
The group had completely forgotten they were there. "Don't worry," Jarod said, "It's a sedative. He'll be out for a few hours and then wake up with a nasty headache and the shakes."  
  
"How can you do that to him?" Harm asked, "I mean what exactly has he done to you?"  
  
Parker and Jarod exchanged looks, "Weren't you listening?" Parker snapped. "He killed Jarod and brought him back again and again. He tried to kill me repeatedly-"  
  
"He murdered my brother in cold blood, tried to kill my sister, kidnapped someone very dear to me, tried to kill my half-brother, killed several innocent Asian women-" Jarod continued.  
  
Sydney put in his own two cents, "Kidnapped my son, tried to help several murderous men go free, killed hundreds of innocent people-"  
  
"And if that's not all he likes to eat his own," she finished in a whisper.  
  
Mac looked at her with a stunned look on her face, "Are you saying that he is a serial killer and a cannibal?"  
  
"Good god," Kate whispered staring at Lyle's unconscious form.  
  
Sydney rubbed Parker's shoulders, "I'm sorry Parker."  
  
She gave a nod. Then the group was interrupted by someone outside. Sam's voice filled their ears. "I'm sorry sir, I cannot allow you to interrupt them."  
  
"Who could that be?" Jarod asked.  
  
"LET ME IN." The voice demanded.  
  
Mac gave a sigh, "He has the most impeccable timing."  
  
"Who is it?" Broots asked, worry lines sprouting on his face.  
  
"The admiral." Kate answered.  
  
Parker glanced at Jarod, "Can we trust him?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Jarod answered. "I'd like to."  
  
"You'll trust just about anyone." Parker snorted.  
  
"Come on," Jarod said, untying Lyle, "Lets put him in another room."  
  
Parker helped Jarod dump Lyle in the bathroom. Broots and Parker scurried in to hide with Faith. Jarod glanced around and threw the papers into his bedroom along with the DSAs and DSA case. Then Jarod threw open the door, "Come in Admiral."  
  
A.J. glanced at Sam, "What's with him?"  
  
Jarod beckoned Sam into the apartment. Sam glanced around and not seeing Parker he gave Jarod a bad look. Jarod gave Sam a small piece of paper. SHE'S WITH FAITH. Sam looked at the pretender, nodded, and scurried off to join Broots and Parker.  
  
"What's going on here?" The Admiral demanded. "Diana's been kidnapped from the hospital and I could not get a hold of you." The group tried to look surprised and shocked but they were all bad actors, well not Jarod at any rate. "How come I get the feeling you all know about this? And whose he?" A.J. asked referring to Sydney.  
  
Sydney exchanged a look at Jarod and the two men nodded at each other. "I'm Jarod's father." Sydney offered.  
  
A.J. gave him a disbelieving look but shook Syd's hand anyway. "Someone want to fill me in here?"  
  
"JAROD!" Parker's urgent scream filled the apartment.  
  
Jarod cast one look at the admiral before scurrying off into Faith's room. "What is it?"  
  
"Jarod, she's not breathing!" Parker looked at him with a worried expression. She was nearly panicking.  
  
The admiral stood there, "Diana?"  
  
The group ignored him as Jarod began shouting orders, "MAC! My bag!" Mac hurried off into the spare room and grabbed Jarod's doctor bag. Jarod through it open and commanded someone to get him some things from the kitchen. Harm and Kate hurried off and returned with Jarod's supplies. After some tricky moves and a few minutes Faith was breathing steadily.  
  
"Someone tell me what the hell is going on?" The admiral cried, "For god sakes Carter are you a doctor?" Parker and Kate embraced each other. They knew deep down in their hearts they were sisters but their brains need proof. The two split apart. "And who the hell are you?" A.J. cried at Parker.  
  
Ignoring him Syd said, "Parker did you get a hold of Ben?"  
  
Parker nodded, "I left a message at his house and told him to come down that Jarod and I need to speak with him. I just hope the Centre doesn't get in the way."  
  
Broots shrugged, "With Lyle temporarily out of the picture that shouldn't be a real problem."  
  
Jarod cast a glance over his shoulder at the tech, "Your forgetting Raines."  
  
"That damn ghoul is too busy trying to repair things with the triumvirate to give a rats ass what my psychotic brother and I are up to." No one could argue with that.  
  
"What…is… going… on?" A.J. asked slowly.  
  
Kate cracked her neck, it was a bad habit of hers, "A.J. we have a lot of talking to do I can see." 


	9. Chapter 9

A.J. sat on the large sofa in Jarod's apartment, "I can't believe you are telling me this. Why not just go to the government and have them destroy the Centre?"  
  
Jarod and Parker exchanged a glance and Parker answered, "Several times in the past my father manipulated the government, particularly the military, to help me in locating Jarod. Over some time Jarod and I came to the conclusion that the government, at least some members, must know about the Centre."  
  
A.J.'s eyes widened, "How? Why?"  
  
Syd leaned forward, "Several of the simulations Jarod and I did were sold to the military or other government people."  
  
A.J. couldn't move, "Are you serious?"  
  
"You know the Nixon slide?" Parker asked.  
  
"Yes," A.J. answered, slowly.  
  
"Jarod was behind it. He came up with a plan that let him off."  
  
"Are you serious?" Mac cried.  
  
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Parker replied, curtly.  
  
They were all interrupted by a knock on the door. Jarod looked around the group. Who could it be? Jarod hurried over and cautiously asked, "Yes?"  
  
"Jarod is that you?" A male's voice asked, "Its me, Ben Miller."  
  
Jarod threw open the door and ushered the older man in. "Ben its good to see you." He said, shaking the older man's hands.  
  
"You too." Ben turned to the group and jumped at the site of Parker and Kate. "Good God."  
  
Parker pursed her lips, "Yes. This is why I called you. We need to know if Kate and I are truly sisters and we think that you may be Kate's father."  
  
Ben's lips trembled, "Kate? So that's what you were named."  
  
"You knew of her?" Jarod asked.  
  
Ben nodded, "Catherine and I had a daughter but she died one evening when Catherine, Miss Parker, and her other daughter were involved in a car accident. Catherine always believed, though, that you survived and that the Centre had you sent off."  
  
Kate took two steps towards Ben and stopped, "What was my name?"  
  
Ben sighed, "She named you Margaret."  
  
Parker, Sydney, and Jarod all exchanged stunned looks, "What!?"  
  
Ben nodded, "Does that mean something to you?"  
  
Jarod nodded, "Margaret was my mother's name."  
  
***  
  
Something big was going on. That much the nurses could be sure of. They had watched over this mysterious woman for an extremely long time. She had been in a coma all that time and now it looked at though she was waking up. But how?  
  
***  
  
Broots had taken the blood samples of Lyle, Parker, Kate, and Ben to the lab and put a rush on them. "It should be at least twenty-four hours."  
  
Parker nodded and picked up her cup of coffee. "I have no idea where to go now."  
  
Jarod shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine."  
  
"Why was Faith at JAG?" Sam asked.  
  
A.J. said, "She had been ordered to work for our office but her previous officers claim never to have heard of her."  
  
"Sounds like someone else I know." Parker commented and grinned. Parker, Jarod, Sam, Broots, and Sydney all laughed.  
  
"Inside joke?" Mac asked.  
  
"Something like that." Broots said, still laughing.  
  
Growing serious Harm said, "So if she wasn't truly ordered there what was she doing there?"  
  
Parker looked at Kate over the coffee table struck her, "She believed my mother to be adoptive mother and she very well may have been. Perhaps she wanted to know about Kate Pike."  
  
Jarod picked up the key he had found in Faith's office "Maybe this will lead us to the answer?"  
  
Parker plucked the out of his hands, "Looks like a key to a safety deposit box."  
  
"Question is to what bank?" Syd replied.  
  
A thought struck Jarod, "I have an idea!" 


	10. Chpater 10

"So Wonder Boy are you going to tell me why we are back in Delaware?" Parker asked, "And why it's just you and me?"  
  
Jarod shrugged, "For starters you and I blend into crowds better than anyone else and a large group of people would be sort of odd looking, don't you think?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the road.  
  
Parker had to admit he had a point, "And why Delaware?"  
  
Jarod pulled into the Dover Town Bank, "Which bank has led us to more secrets than any other one?"  
  
Parker sat there, her mouth open, "You son of a bitch."  
  
***  
  
"Well," Broots said, "I got the results from the lab."  
  
Harm stretched. He, Mac, and A.J. had spent the evening there, pouring over any information they might be privy to about one Major Charles, Jarod's father. Luckily it was Saturday and none of them had to report to the office. "And?" He asked.  
  
Broots handed Syd the file and Syd opened it. Syd's stunned expression made them all lean forward in anticipation. "Well…" Syd started. "Kate is Ben's daughter." Ripple of relief spread through the room.  
  
"I take it that's not all." Ben replied.  
  
"Not even close." Syd said. "Parker and Kate are siblings. And they are related to Lyle as well. But something here isn't matching up."  
  
"Like what?" Sam asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.  
  
"Broots you also did a complete work on these samples as well right?" Syd asked.  
  
"Of course." The geeky tech replied.  
  
"Well according to this chart, Lyle has a disease."  
  
Kate tipped her head, "What kind of disease?"  
  
Syd shrugged, "Doesn't have a name and no doctor has ever heard of it before…"  
  
"Smells of the Centre." Broots said.  
  
"Smells?" Sam replied, "More like reeks."  
  
Broots shrugged and Syd continued. "According to this, if Lyle doesn't drink human blood he'll die."  
  
Mac vomited.  
  
***  
  
Parker pulled open the safety deposit box and Jarod flipped open the lid and then turned to leave. "Where are you going?" Parker asked.  
  
"I'll wait for you in the car."  
  
Parker grabbed his hand, "Oh no you don't. We started this journey together and by damned we'll finish it that way."  
  
Jarod made a huffing noise and pulled the documents out of the box. They spread them out on the floor. "What are they?" Parker whispered.  
  
Jarod opened the first packet. "These are blood charts. Charts for Lyle."  
  
"Lyle?" Jarod nodded. "Well what do they say?" She asked coming around to look down at them. She couldn't understand anything they said.  
  
"According to this he has a decease. One where if he doesn't drink human blood…. He'll die."  
  
"Oh my god." Parker whispered.  
  
***  
  
"Why would the Centre do something like that?" A.J. asked.  
  
Broots shrugged, "Why do they do anything they do. Hey Syd-"  
  
But Sydney was all ready ahead of him. "That's why he kills. He has to."  
  
"So what my newly found brother is a vampire?" Kate asked, a bit sarcastically.  
  
Syd shook his head, "No. The fact of the matter is, is that human blood contains many materials. Some things, most things, found in human blood cannot be found anywhere else."  
  
"And that's why they did it." A tired voice said from the doorway.  
  
Lyle was awake, and free. 


	11. Chapter 11

Parker fumbled with the large stack of files and a few DSAs. "I don't get it. Why would the Centre turn my brother into a…a…"  
  
"Vampire?" Jarod asked.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Jarod sighed, "It's my fault."  
  
"How is it your fault?" Then Parker groaned, "Don't tell me you did a simulation on it?"  
  
Jarod nodded, "I didn't really understand it then but I do now. After I looked at Lyle's charts." Parker held her breath. "There's a chemical in our blood that is not found anywhere else. Nowhere in this world is it found. But this chemical can enhance brainpower and physical strengths. But who would ever want to drink human blood? So I did a simulation where I manipulated genetic cells to the point where the body would need this chemical to survive and the person would have to drink blood."  
  
Parker gagged, "So my brother kills to survive. But why give it Lyle?"  
  
"Who is Lyle's father?"  
  
Parker's head dropped, "Should've guessed."  
  
***  
  
Syd stood up and injected another needle into Lyle's arm. Surprisingly he didn't fight it. He and Sam hauled his limp body off into Jarod's bedroom. When they came back Syd explained, "That injection will stop Lyle's massive headache. He'll wake up feeling refreshed. Though he doesn't deserve it after all he's done."  
  
Broots shrugged, "Who decides who deserves what?"  
  
The group shrugged. None of them had any answer for that question.  
  
***  
  
Parker shuffled through the rest of the files. "They're all medical. For you, me, Lyle, Angelo, Faith, Kyle, Eddie, Alex…"  
  
Jarod nodded, "The DSAs?"  
  
Parker shrugged, "Don't know. We didn't exactly bring a DSA player with us."  
  
"I hate it when you're right."  
  
Parker laughed, "I'm always right, Jarod. When are you ever going to learn?"  
  
***  
  
Jarod and Parker burst into the apartment. The group still, thankfully, there. "You'll never believe what we found!" Parker exclaimed as Jarod slammed the door shut.  
  
"Try us." Broots muttered dryly.  
  
Quickly the group compared notes. "Anything from Faith?" Jarod asked after they had finished.  
  
Syd shook his head, "Not a thing."  
  
Parker sighed. "I just wish we had some answers."  
  
Jarod rustled the bag and pulled out the three DSAs he and Parker had recovered. "Maybe today we do."  
  
Parker's eyes widened. She had completely forgotten about the DSAs. "Broots get the DSA player from Jarod's room."  
  
"What are those?" Mac asked.  
  
"They look like little CDs," Harm observed.  
  
Broots returned with the player and the group, specifically Sam, Jarod, Syd, Parker, and Broots, crowded around the tiny screen. Jarod inserted the first DSA. The text at the bottom showed the event taking place was on Sublevel 18.  
  
Piercing screams broke through the hallways. Catherine Parker gripped the young woman's hand. "Hang on. Hang on."  
  
Whispers of pain flooded Catherine's ears. She could barely hear the woman. "I'm not going to make it."  
  
"Damn it! Yes you are. Yes you are. There's nothing wrong!" Catherine cried, "This is normal!"  
  
"Normal?" The woman grunted as she turned towards the camera and let out another piercing scream.  
  
Jarod's eyes widened at the site of his mother. "Mom." He whispered. Sydney and Parker both squeezed his shoulders to calm him.  
  
"Hang on. Cousin. Hang on!" Raines commanded.  
  
There was a piercing scream from Margaret. And then quite except for the crying of a child. Raines placed him into Margaret's arms, "He's perfect."  
  
Margaret kissed the child's head. "What shall I name him?"  
  
Another man entered the room. His face was blocked by shadows but his voice gave him away, "Jarod. Name him Jarod."  
  
"Oh my god." Parker murmured, "My father… err…Mr. Parker… named you!?"  
  
Jarod was stunned. "I don't believe it."  
  
"Hang on." Broots instructed. "There's more." And he was right there was more. Lots more.  
  
Catherine embraced her husband welcomingly. "I'm glad you made it."  
  
Mr. Parker gave a grunt. "Have you found Major Charles?"  
  
Margaret shook her head from the bed, "He's still missing. God I hope they find him soon."  
  
Raines rubbed Margaret's shoulders, "Don't you worry yourself. I know he's all right. But until his return you are going to continue to stay with me until his return… for your safety."  
  
"For my safety?" Margaret huffed, "Or so I can continue to work on the Pretender Project?"  
  
Mr. Parker gave a small laugh, "Well Margaret you did develop it so you might as well over see it."  
  
"Aye. But if I had known what you were going to do with it and how you were going to acquire these children I never would have agreed."  
  
The screen went black and the whole group sat back in a sigh. "I don't believe it." Jarod said. "My mother invented the Pretender Project!?"  
  
"She worked for the Centre." Parker said, stating the obvious.  
  
"Where was my father?" Jarod asked, "They said he was missing. Well where?"  
  
Broots handed Jarod the next DSA. "Maybe this can tell us."  
  
Jarod nodded gratefully at the technician and inserted the next DSA. 


	12. Chapter 12

Margaret wandered through the halls of the Centre. "Catherine?" She hissed. "Catherine where are you?"  
  
Catherine emerged from the dark shadows, "Margaret." She whispered and embraced the woman. "I've found him."  
  
"Charles? Where?"  
  
"The Centre has someone holding him over in the Middle East. They paid the some enemies of the U.S. to kidnap them. To keep them, specifically Charles, from coming home."  
  
"To keep me on the Pretender Project, no doubt." Margaret concluded. Worry lines sprouted on her face.  
  
Catherine nodded in agreement, "I tipped off the FBI to their location and he should be home soon. You have to get out of here."  
  
Margaret agreed with her friend, "I intend to. But Catherine I'm worried."  
  
"About?"  
  
"My son is a Pretender."  
  
"What?"  
  
Margaret hung her head in fear, "Yes. As soon as Charles comes back we're leaving."  
  
"Good." Catherine said. "The farther you get from here the better."  
  
"What about Merriam?"  
  
"I intend to get my daughter away from here as soon as possible. But I don't know if I can leave my son."  
  
"Honey, Matthew's gone."  
  
Catherine nodded sadly, "I know. Its ironic isn't it?"  
  
Margaret was puzzled, "I'm at a loss here. What is?"  
  
"You… me. You gave birth to Jarod nearly six months ago and just two weeks ago my baby was born."  
  
"I don't understand how that's ironic."  
  
Catherine shook her head and embraced her friend, "God speed. Margaret. God speed."  
  
"Jarod… your father was missing for over six months." Kate observed.  
  
Jarod nodded and then turned to Harm, "Can you find out anything about this? Did you find anything on my father?"  
  
Harm shook his head, "I made a call and we are waiting for someone to fax the information over to us."  
  
Jarod nodded, "That's right. I had a memory lapse."  
  
Mac smiled, "That tends to happen under stressful situations."  
  
Parker rubbed her forehead. "Okay so Faith had a key to a box under my mother's name. Why?"  
  
Syd shrugged, "Maybe Catherine gave it to Faith to hang on to before she died."  
  
Parker thought about this but disagreed. "I'm not so sure."  
  
Broots shrugged, "We have one DSA left."  
  
Parker took the DSA. The date on it was March 12, 1970. Not long before her mother died. She placed the DSA into the player and the group once again huddled to watch.  
  
Catherine Parker's face flooded the screen. "My darling girl. If you are watching this I am no longer here. I several things I need to say in a short amount of time. I will cut simply to the chase and tell you to find Jarod's mother, Margaret. She holds the key to the truth about all the secrets, to the truth about you.  
  
I have put together this DSA so that you and Jarod can complete my plan." She paused and took a deep breath. "My darling girl, you and Jarod have become close in the past few weeks. And I know that together the two of you can complete my plan. I cannot tell you what is in case this DSA falls into the wrong hands.  
  
Again, Margaret knows my plan. Together the two of us tried to do it but failed. You and Jarod can. I know that together you can destroy the Centre. I will, however, leave you a clue, one I hope that Jarod will understand, to find his mother. Margaret will tell you what to do. Merriam, I want you to tell Jarod this:  
  
Jarod, focus all your energy on your mother. Think of this: NuGensis. Here you will find the key. The clues to her and yourself.  
  
Godspeed my daughter, and to you Jarod.  
  
It ended there. Parker and Jarod gave each other stunned looks. "I don't get it." Parker said. "She said to go to NuGensis. There you will find the key."  
  
Jarod shrugged, "And she said she couldn't tell us her plan but she could tell me where to find my mother. I don't understand that either."  
  
Parker thought for moment, "Didn't your parents used to stay at a lodge while they were at NuGensis?"  
  
Jarod nodded, "But I don't…" his voice trailed off with realization. "Sydney, Sam, Broots you three stay here with Lyle and Faith." He turned to the three seated over on his other couch, "A.J., Mac, and Harm keep looking for information about my father. Ben and Kate, I want you two to scan recent news reports, anything, for information on my father, Ethan, or Emily." He didn't mention the clone; best not bring up the boy until necessary. "Parker you and I are going on another road trip."  
  
***  
  
Jarod and Parker tore the cabin apart but found nothing. Not a clue. Parker shrugged at the Pretender, "Jarod I don't think we'll find anything here. Its just not here." But Jarod was staring at a floorboard. "What are you staring at?" She asked.  
  
Jarod pointed at the floorboard but Parker didn't see anything. Jarod knelt down and picked it up, cleanly. He dug down and pulled out a thick envelope. "Bingo."  
  
"What are you doing!?" A shrill voice cried from the doorway. Parker and Jarod turned around slowly to come face to face with Jarod's mother. 


	13. Chapter 13

Mac rubbed her shoulders as she stared at the report. "Well I guess Jarod's father wasn't the greatest guy in the world."  
  
"What do you mean, Mac?" Harm asked, coming behind her and reading over her shoulder.  
  
"He had an excellent record, was award the distinguished flying cross among many medals, and so on and so forth until May of 1966."  
  
"What happened?" Syd asked, coming into the room. It was filled with papers and books. It was a mess.  
  
Mac turned to him, "According to this file he was arrested for brawling in a bar, spent the night in the brink, and then committed suicide."  
  
"Not possible." Syd breathed.  
  
"Well that's what this file says, that's what happened." Harm replied.  
  
Syd shook his head, "Major Charles didn't commit suicide because I saw him myself a few years back." Realization dawned on the psychologist. "He faked his death. To save his life."  
  
***  
  
"Mom…" Jarod whispered. She was alive! She was there!  
  
"Jarod, oh my son!" Margaret cried. She embraced her son. "Oh my son. My boy."  
  
Parker's hand fluttered to her mouth. She was there! Parker couldn't believe it. She watched, with tears in her eyes, as the two embraced. When they broke apart Margaret gave a shrill scream at the site of Parker. "My god you look exactly like your mother!"  
  
Parker pursed her lips together, "So I've been told."  
  
Margaret plucked the envelope from Parker's hand. "I take it you found your mother's DSA."  
  
Jarod and Parker both nodded. "Yes."  
  
"What's in the envelope?" Jarod asked.  
  
Margaret sighed and sat down on the couch. "Something that Catherine, Edna, and I never wanted anyone to find."  
  
Jarod and Parker both plopped down on the couch next to the older woman. "Such as?"  
  
Margaret shook her head. "Not yet Merriam."  
  
Jarod's eyebrows shot up, "You know her first name?"  
  
Margaret looked at him with a funny look, "Of course. I named her."  
  
Parker's eyes grew as big as saucers, "What!?"  
  
Margaret nodded. "That was your grandmother's name."  
  
Parker's eyebrows furrowed, "No it wasn't."  
  
Margaret huffed, "Yes it was. Your REAL grandmother."  
  
"My real grandmother?"  
  
"Catherine made up a story about parents to keep any traces from tracing back to the Secret Society."  
  
"Oh," Parker said. "Why?"  
  
"Because she didn't want you to deal with it."  
  
"Do you know the answers?"  
  
"Answers to what?" Margaret asked.  
  
"The true tragedy of my family secret."  
  
Margaret gave a nod, "I know some of it. Not all of it. But I can't tell you anything until I find your mother."  
  
"Catherine's dead." Jarod said.  
  
Margaret shook her head, "She faked her death."  
  
"No," Parker said, "She faked her death, gave birth to Ethan, and then Raines killed her."  
  
Margaret shook her head again, "No. We faked her death a second time but a few years ago she was involved in a car accident and spiraled into a coma. A good friend of ours has been moving her from place to place and I lost contact with her a last year."  
  
Parker's mouth formed an O. "I don't believe this!" 


	14. Chapter 14

Sydney piled over some documents and charts. "How's she doing?" Kate asked, coming into Faith's room.  
  
"Better." Sydney said, "Much better."  
  
Kate gave a brief nod, "And my brother?"  
  
"Resting." Syd replied, "I don't know what to do for his condition."  
  
Kate sat down in the chair next to Faith, "This is so confusing."  
  
"I know it is."  
  
Kate gave a small, forced smile, "And you're used to this soap opera kind of life."  
  
***  
  
Parker, Jarod, and Margaret arrived at the apartment the following day. Jarod turned the key in the lock and the three of them hurried in and slammed the door shut behind them.  
  
"Jarod?" Kate asked coming out of Faith's room. "Who are you?" She asked turning to Margaret.  
  
A flood of people came out of Faith's room. Including Syd, Broots, and Sam. "Sydney?" Margaret breathed staring at Sydney.  
  
Syd's face exploded into a grin as he hurriedly embraced Margaret, "My god. Margaret you are looking well."  
  
Jarod and Parker's mouths dropped open so far an elephant could have crawled in. "How—what?"  
  
Sydney pulled back from Margaret. "I knew Margaret only briefly when she was at the Centre."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" Jarod asked.  
  
Margaret jumped in, "When I found out that the Centre had kidnapped you Jarod I called Catherine and made her swear to me that she would make Jacob take care of you and to make sure that Sydney never knew you were my son."  
  
"But-" Jarod started, still shocked, "But Sydney when you realized who my mother was, why didn't you tell me she worked for the Centre?"  
  
"Because I couldn't be one hundred percent sure that she was your mother. Even though you started having memories I was worried that perhaps they were forced memories and with the pictures I was worried that they were fakes. I was afraid to breath a word so that you wouldn't feel any loyalty or debt to the Centre."  
  
Parker huffed, "That would be the day."  
  
The group agreed.  
  
Parker slowly turned to Margaret, "How were Kyle and Jarod taken from you?"  
  
Margaret sighed, "Well Kyle was taken from us first. Right after he was born."  
  
"Is he finally sleeping?" Margaret asked.  
  
Charles nodded, "Yeah. But only after I gave him one of my medals from the Air Force."  
  
Margaret laughed and embraced her husband, "Your boys love those medals so much. Nearly as much as they love you."  
  
Charles kissed her, "But not more than they love their mother."  
  
Margaret laughed. "Come on lets go to bed."  
  
Margaret awoke with a start sometime after 1 A.M. Something wasn't right. Something didn't feel right. She crawled out of bed and went into Kyle's room. "Kyle? Baby?"  
  
She didn't expect an answer from a sleeping child. She walked over to his crib and peered in. He wasn't there! She let loose a loud, sobbing sound. "KYLE!"  
  
Parker placed her hand over her mouth. "Oh my god."  
  
"How old was Jarod?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Four. Kyle had been born only a mouth earlier. He was such a difficult child to please."  
  
"When was Jarod taken then?" Sam asked, unable to keep his curiosity behind closed doors.  
  
"A month later."  
  
Charles embraced his arms around his wife. "We will find Kyle I promise."  
  
Margaret choked back a sound, "I miss my little boy!"  
  
He hugged her tightly, "I know. I do too. But we will get him. We've hired a private detective and you said some old friends of yours were helping locate him."  
  
"I know but it does us no good until we find him."  
  
Charles gave a small nod, "I know. But we need to remain collected. Jarod's teachers will be here today and we need to keep ourselves collected for him. If we don't he will be on edge and that will do him no good."  
  
Margaret nodded, "I know. I know."  
  
Jarod's teacher came and they were quite impressed with him. She tucked him into bed and then sat beside him to watch him fall asleep.  
  
Charles cracked the door a little, "Margaret. You can't always watch him sleep. You haven't had more than a few hours of sleep a night since Kyle was taken. You can't keep doing this."  
  
Margaret shrugged, "I just don't want my other son taken."  
  
Charles embraced her, "Come on. He'll be fine. I've locked all the doors and all the windows."  
  
"Yeah but-"  
  
Charles led her out of the room, "I promise nothing will happen to our son."  
  
The next morning Margaret flew out of bed and hurried to make sure Jarod was there. He wasn't. He wasn't there.  
  
After calming her down and working to calm himself down he called the police.  
  
Margaret noticed a small sheet of paper sticking out from between the mattress. She pulled it out and opened it. It simply read: Margaret, I'm sorry. But its business. You understand.  
  
"Raines." She hissed.  
  
"So you knew right from the beginning that the Centre had me." Jarod concluded.  
  
Margaret nodded, "I know I should have told your father from the start but I couldn't. I just couldn't do it. I worked with Catherine for many years to get you out of there. Then nearly a decade later I learned that Kyle was there as well. It was all my fault."  
  
Parker rubbed Margaret's arm, "We all have our guilt but this is not your fault."  
  
Margaret nodded, "I know about your brother. Matthew."  
  
"He goes by the name Lyle now." Parker said sadly.  
  
"I know." 


	15. Chapter 15

Parker nodded, "There really are no secrets truly left for me discover I suppose."  
  
"The tragedy of your family's secret." Kate put in.  
  
Parker gripped the younger woman's hand, "Our family."  
  
Kate smiled, "Yes."  
  
Jarod rubbed his eyes tightly, "God I don't know what to do."  
  
"Well." Margaret started, "We need to locate Emily, Ethan, Charles, and Catherine for one."  
  
"Margaret," Syd began, "Catherine's gone."  
  
Parker grinned and shook her head. "Nope."  
  
"What? Parker you saw the DSA. Your mother is dead."  
  
The trio quickly filled in Sydney about Catherine. Syd just sat back, confused. "Now I've seen some twisted things in my day but these last few days top all of this off by far."  
  
Jarod hung his head to keep from laughing. "Well I think I may have an idea where Dad could be, but I am not positive."  
  
Margaret raised her eyebrows, "Really?"  
  
Jarod nodded. "But you should rest, you looked like you haven't slept for days."  
  
Margaret huffed, "Try years, Son."  
  
Jarod hugged her. "Jarod I'm going with you." Parker said.  
  
Jarod turned to her, "Why?"  
  
"It's the least I can do." She said and then looked down. Guilt for the past few years flooded through her. "I'm sorry." She whispered.  
  
Jarod tipped her chin up so she looked at him, "Now can you finally be yourself?"  
  
Parker gave him a small smile and then to everyone's surprise she hugged him, "Yes."  
  
Margaret shook her head, "I'm going too. I can't stay here on pins and needles like this."  
  
Jarod put a hand on his mother's shoulder, "Mom I know you can't wait to see Emily and Dad again but the Centre may be on our trail or even there's. No one knows how to better avoid them then me and Parker."  
  
"Merriam," She corrected without even giving it a second thought.  
  
"That's your real name?" Broots asked her.  
  
She nodded, "For my grandmother."  
  
"We need to stop by JAG for a moment so I can tell Harm and Mac the plan."  
  
Parker nodded, "Lets go."  
  
The two left in Jarod's car and headed for the JAG office. Jarod flashed his ID and hurried in, with Parker in tow. "Harm, Mac!" He cried and hurried over to the two. "Parker and I are headed out now. I have an idea where I can locate my father and sister."  
  
The two nodded and they embraced Parker and Jarod, "Good luck. We'll let you know if we find anything else."  
  
They nodded their thanks and left. When they climbed back into Jarod's car Parker finally asked, "So where are you going?"  
  
"There's this old cabin, actually not to far from here, that my parents and I used to stay at. He once told me that he used that to hide out in sometimes."  
  
Parker nodded, "Good shot as any."  
  
When Jarod and Parker pulled up to the cabin, quite a while later, they were not disappointed at the vehicle in the driveway. Jarod and Parker quietly got out of the car and Jarod pressed a finger to his lips. Parker nodded and the two climbed up the creaky stairs as quietly as possible.  
  
The door swung open and someone appeared, holding out a large gun. The gun quickly lowered as surprise overwhelmed the three people standing there.  
  
Parker's mouth fell open as she cried, "But Lyle killed you! I was there!"  
  
"Don't you know that no one dies at the Centre?" Ethan said coming up behind Kyle. 


	16. Chapter 16

Jarod's mouth as agape and Kyle pulled him into an embrace and Ethan pulled Parker into one. "Kyle, but after I-" Jarod faltered for words.  
  
Charles and Emily came out of the far room, the kitchen if Jarod remembered quickly, and pulled Jarod into an embrace. Jarod and Parker were too stunned for words when suddenly Parker realized someone was missing, "Where's the boy?"  
  
Emily looked at Charles and he at her. Jarod and Parker both felt dread coming on, "What!?" They both cried together.  
  
Charles hung his head, "Jay disappeared a few days ago. Said he was onto something hot. All he did was leave me a note and he took off."  
  
Parker squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears. Jarod squeezed her shoulder in an affectionate way that Kyle, Ethan, Emily, and Charles didn't fail to notice. "We have to go." Jarod said suddenly.  
  
"Why?" Charles asked, "We finally found each other-"  
  
He was cut off as Parker said, "We've found your wife."  
  
There was a stunned silence in the room. "What?" Charles cried.  
  
Jarod nodded, "Come on."  
  
The group left. Jarod left his rental car at the cabin and the group all piled in Charles' rented SUV. "So explain to me one thing." Parker said as they got back on the main road. Jarod was driving, Charles was in the front seat with him, Emily and Ethan were behind them, and Parker and Kyle were behind them.  
  
"What's that?" Kyle asked turning to her, "How I'm still alive."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Jarod and I weren't stupid. We knew that facing Lyle was risking business so we both wore bullet proof vests." When Parker opened her mouth to say something Kyle said, "However, the bullet still punctured my body. Just a few centimeters. Enough to draw blood and cause damage."  
  
Parker's eyebrows rose, "But, Jarod was convinced you were dead."  
  
Kyle shook his head, "I was always a good actor, as was Jarod. However I did pass out and that served our purposes enough. Jarod pretended I was dead to stop the Centre from chasing me. Jarod took me to a nearby hospital and there he managed to get me patched up and we found a donor heart for that sick little boy."  
  
Parker's confused look became even more confused.  
  
Kyle laughed at her look, "But some of the damage was more than just skin. On my fall I had caught something on my spine, causing a spinal cord injury. I was in the hospital for several weeks while I tried to get the use of my back back. However when Jarod came back for another visit a drunken doctor mixed up my charts and another's with a spinal cord injury. One who had died."  
  
Parker's mouth formed an "O." She made a small sound, "That makes sense."  
  
***  
  
Faith groaned in her sleep. Dead they were all dead.  
  
"NO MAMA!" A little girl's cries filled the empty space. It was Miss Parker. "No!" Miss Parker fell to the ground. There was chanting. Chanting. Chanting.  
  
The chanting became louder and Jarod's voice filled her head, "Hang on! Hang on!"  
  
Jarod was fighting to get to her. But he was failing. The harder he fought to get to her the louder the crowd chanted. Miss Parker's cried became louder and louder.  
  
Jarod fought to get to her. Mr. Parker was among those chanting and the chanting became louder.  
  
Miss Parker's wails became louder, if at all possible.  
  
Faith's eyes flew open and she released a bloody scream, "NNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!"  
  
Four people came running into the room. She didn't recognize a single face. "GET OUT!"  
  
Sydney sat in the chair next to her. "Faith, Faith. Just breath. Its okay."  
  
Faith was sweating so badly but she was freezing at the same time, "How do you know my name?"  
  
"I work, correction, used to work for the Centre." Sydney said.  
  
Broots threw Syd a confused look and Sam raised his eyebrows.  
  
Faith pulled away from him, "Keep away from me."  
  
"Faith-"  
  
"KEEP AWAY FROM ME!!!!!!!!" Her scream was loud and finally Margaret spoke up.  
  
"Faith, honey, calm down. It'll be all right."  
  
Faith's eyes widened, "Margaret?"  
  
Margaret nodded and embraced the woman, "It's all right. Sydney here is a doctor and a friend. To me, my son, and Miss Parker."  
  
Faith sucked in a breath and looked at Syd, "I'm sorry."  
  
"It's all right." Sydney said, "I don't blame you."  
  
***  
  
Jarod, Parker, Kyle, Ethan, Emily, and Charles all piled out of the car and into Jarod's apartment. It was a darn good thing that Jarod had rented a large apartment now that they had found others. Parker slammed the door, hard, on purpose.  
  
Sam stuck his head out the door of Faith's room. "Good god!"  
  
Margaret, Broots, and Syd all piled out of the room. And shrieks of joy were heard from both Margaret and Charles as they raced across the room to each other. Everyone watched, lungs bursting with joy, as the two hugged and cried for the first time in over three decades.  
  
Margaret gave another shriek when she pulled away from Charles. She hurried over and hugged Emily and Kyle. Even though she had believed Kyle to be dead she knew in a second that this man was Kyle. "My children." She reached out and made room for Jarod. "My baby's together."  
  
Parker's eyes welled with tears at the site. Ethan threw his arm around her waist, "Wonderful site, no?"  
  
Parker turned to her brother and smiled.  
  
When the four pulled apart Margaret looked at Ethan and Ethan felt a bit uncomfortable. He was the child of her husband and Catherine Parker. How would she react? What happened was not what he, and anyone else for that matter, expected.  
  
Margaret wiped her tears off her face and embraced Ethan, "You have your mother's eyes."  
  
Ethan hugged her back tightly, as though he had been waiting for her all his life. The two stood like that for several minutes before pulling apart, "You knew my mother well." It wasn't a question.  
  
Margaret nodded, "Yes. And your mother is still alive."  
  
Ethan whispered, "I know that now."  
  
Parker also nodded, "I could hear her voice and then suddenly one day I couldn't."  
  
Sam shook his head in amazement, "This is unbelievable."  
  
"Does that mean that Catherine awoke from her coma?" Jarod asked his mother.  
  
Margaret shrugged possibly and Charles said, "Whoa, wait a moment, Catherine Parker is still alive?"  
  
Several heads bobbed in answer.  
  
Charles shook his head, "And I thought it couldn't get any weirder."  
  
"Faith is awake." Syd said suddenly.  
  
Parker and Jarod exchanged quick glances before hurrying in to see their old friend. "Jarod. Miss Parker." Faith whispered.  
  
The both clutched Faith's hands, "Your finally awake." Parker whispered.  
  
She nodded, "It's been a long time."  
  
The three of them simply stood there in silence for a while. But now that they were all reunited it was time to take control of the their lives. and put a stop to the Centre. 


	17. Chapter 17

Several hours later, Parker checked in on Lyle to find him still sleeping. "He's going to need another dose of blood." Sydney said from behind her.  
  
Parker nodded, "How much?"  
  
"From my calculations, though I've never seen anything like this and certainly never worked on that simulation with Jarod, several pints."  
  
Parker groaned, closed her eyes, and then left the room shutting the door quietly behind her. For the first time in her life she felt sorry for her brother.  
  
"I don't understand." Charles said from the living room. "He needs a blood transfusion?"  
  
Parker shook her head, "No. He needs to drink it."  
  
The gross look on Charles' face mirrored all their thoughts. Jarod pulled out several long needles used for drawing blood and said, "Well who wants to do it?"  
  
Parker sighed and stuck out her bare arm. Everyone looked at her in surprise. "You sure?" Jarod asked.  
  
Parker sat on the couch next to the Pretender, "I can't help but feel a little sorry for the monster."  
  
Jarod nodded and plunged the needle into her arm. He took blood from Parker, himself, Ethan, his mother, and Sam. He put all the blood into separate containers and put them in the refrigerator until Lyle woke up.  
  
Parker shuddered. "I can't believe the Centre!" She cried suddenly.  
  
Everyone looked up from the paper he or she was studying, "What do you mean?" Margaret asked.  
  
"I've known them to do awful things but to manipulate Lyle into having to live off blood is unthinkable."  
  
Syd patted her shoulders, "Maybe we'll be able to fix it some how."  
  
"I don't see how." Parker muttered.  
  
Jarod looked around the room as the group studied their options. There was Sam, Sydney, Kyle, his dad, his mom, Ethan, Emily, Broots, Parker, Ben, Kate, and himself contemplating the issue. Faith was still resting, as was Lyle. All they needed to do now was locate Catherine and Jay and finally put an end to the Centre.  
  
Jarod sighed. How they were going to do that he didn't know. "Well we might as well begin looking for Jay and Catherine Parker before we do anything else."  
  
The group agreed with him. Broots would try the internet, a far fetch but one lead to check out at any rate. Emily, Ethan, and Kyle would retrace the cold trail they had had on Jay. Margaret and Charles would begin back tracking Catherine's trail, while Jarod, Kate, and Parker returned to JAG. Sam and Ben would stay behind and take care of Lyle and Faith while Sydney would go back to the Centre and bring Angelo to the apartment.  
  
After they worked out their plans and what time to return to Jarod's rented apartment the groups sent off on their jobs.  
  
Kate, Jarod, and Parker headed into JAG headquarters, turning plenty of heads. The admiral called them all into his office, along with Harm and Mac. "Have you learned anything new?" The admiral asked.  
  
Kate shook her head, "No. Jarod and Parker did manage to locate the rest of his family, however."  
  
"That's wonderful." Mac said.  
  
Jarod nodded, "But Mother refuses to tell Parker and I anything about her family until her mother has been located."  
  
The admiral nodded, "So basically we are looking for a Catherine Parker." He turned his attention to Miss Parker, "Have you any idea where she might be?"  
  
Parker shook her head, "No. Jarod's parents are working on locating her. Most likely she'd be taken to convents and such places."  
  
Harm nodded, "Mac and I can start there if you want."  
  
"That'd be great." Parker said.  
  
There was a knock on the door and the three men and three women turned around. "Yes?" the admiral asked.  
  
Tyner, the admiral's assistant, stuck his head in the door, "Lieutenant Carter has a visitor Sir."  
  
Parker looked at Jarod, "A visitor?"  
  
Tyner, unsure of which woman was Kate Pike, only said, "Yes. Says he's your son."  
  
The moment Tyner uttered those words Parker and Jarod were out the door. "Jay!" Parker cried. The young boy turned and quickly found himself showed with hugs as Parker and Jarod didn't even try to contain themselves.  
  
"Jay you should have just stayed with Dad!" Jarod cried.  
  
Parker tugged on Jarod's sleeve and the three of them went back into the admiral's office to stop from attracting attention. "You found Dad?" Jay asked with excitement.  
  
Parker and Jarod nodded with happiness, "Yes."  
  
Parker suddenly grinned, "I suppose the hot trail you were on was Jarod's location."  
  
The younger boy nodded, "uh-huh."  
  
"You'd think you'd raised him." Parker said to Jarod.  
  
***  
  
Hours passed with no such luck as to locating Catherine Parker. After dinner Jarod brought Lyle two glasses of the blood he so desperately needed. Jarod opened the door to his bedroom and shook the man awake.  
  
Lyle groaned and looked up at Jarod. Jarod was surprised at how bad he looked. He was deathly pale and his eyes were bloodshot. Lyle's eyes went from Jarod's face to glasses he held, "Came to bring me relief?"  
  
Jarod shrugged, "That's up to you."  
  
If Lyle hadn't felt so miserable he might have huffed or even laughed, "The only that will be me relief now is death."  
  
Jarod put one hand behind his nemesis' head and slowly poured in the first glass, "It may come to that.  
  
Lyle swallowed and wiped his mouth, grimacing at the taste. "Even after all this time I still find it gross that I must drink another's blood."  
  
"You didn't have to kill to get it you know." Jarod replied.  
  
This time Lyle did huff but his remark was cut off as Jarod poured the next glass down his throat. When he swallowed Lyle said, "Then how was I supposed to get it?"  
  
"Despite myself I will say this. You could have stolen it from the Centre or hospitals." Jarod knew that stealing from a hospital, and people who so desperately needed blood, was like robbing a candy store compared to what he usually did.  
  
Lyle glanced up at the pretender, "I did until it wasn't enough." He glanced at Jarod's empty hands, "I need not a little but a lot."  
  
Jarod glared at him, "Well that's all your going to get for now. Sydney and I figured that if we only give you a little at a time it should bring down your cravings."  
  
Lyle gave another groan, "And make me suffer with this unbearable pain?"  
  
Jarod gave him another sour look, "That's right. Now rest." He commanded and left the man in pain. Shutting, and locking, the door behind him.  
  
A few moments later Sydney arrived with Angelo. He looked as worn down and unsure of himself as usual but the second he entered he went straight to Faith's room.  
  
Jarod and Parker exchanged glances and followed the empath into her room. Faith, who was feeling better enough to be sitting up and watching a late primetime show, glanced up. "Angelo!" She cried. Angelo embraced her tightly. "Sister." He muttered.  
  
Faith's face exploded with happiness as she squeezed her younger brother's hand, "That right. I'm your sister. You are my brother."  
  
Jarod and Parker smiled at the happy scene and left the two there.  
  
"How are they doing?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Good." Parker replied. "Very good indeed."  
  
Parker and Jarod pulled out some mattresses that they had purchased earlier and moved around the living room furniture so that the large group of people now living in the apartment could sleep in comfort. It was well after midnight when they all fell asleep. 


	18. Chapter 18

At two-thirty in the morning the group was startled by a phone call. Jarod groggily picked up the phone, "Hello?"  
  
"I've found her!" Mac's voice cried from the other end.  
  
Forgetting where he was and the circumstances surrounding them, Jarod stupidly asked, "Who?"  
  
"Catherine Parker!"  
  
Jarod awoke so quickly and he reached over next to him and shook Parker hard, "What?" She snapped. "Mac's found her!"  
  
Parker jumped up and grabbed the phone from the pretender, "Where is she?"  
  
"Detroit, Michigan."  
  
"Detroit?" Parker asked, stunned, "What's she doing there?"  
  
Sydney looked at Parker, he was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "Your mother had an old minister friend there." He answered.  
  
Parker glanced at him and then turned her attention back to the phone. "Address." She demanded.  
  
Mac gave her the address and six hours later Kate, Ethan, and Parker were on a flight to Detroit. They landed in Detroit a few hours later and it took them another hour to find the old, rugged, church. Parker hurried ahead of the others and a minister came out from one of the back rooms, "You look just like her!"  
  
"Is she here?" Parker asked hurriedly. "My mother?"  
  
The minister was so stunned he simply pointed to the basements and Parker flew down it. "Mama?"  
  
An old woman, pale and sickly looking, turned around from the chair she was sitting in. "Merriam?" She whispered. She got up, a bit slowly, and embraced her daughter. The tears were pouring down both their cheeks, "Oh my baby girl."  
  
She glanced up with a panicked expression when footsteps clunked down the stairs. Catherine's face was filled with happiness. "Ethan. Margaret." She embraced her two other children tightly and then beckoned for Merriam to join them. "All my children together." Suddenly she pulled back, "How did you find me?"  
  
"That's not important." Merriam replied, "We must leave. We need to get back to Jarod so you can get well and we can get on with our lives."  
  
If Catherine was surprised to find that her eldest child was with Jarod she didn't show any surprise.  
  
The four of them returned to Jarod's apartment the next day. And several hours of tears later Parker finally said. "Matthew's alive."  
  
Catherine looked at her daughter and hung her head, "I always had my suspicions."  
  
Parker nodded and led her mother into Lyle's room. Catherine sat down next to him and lightly stoked her son's hand. Lyle's eyes fluttered open, "Mother?"  
  
Catherine's eyes filled with tears and she clutched his hand tightly, "Yes."  
  
Lyle gave a sigh, "I'm sorry, for everything."  
  
Catherine stood up and planted a kiss on his forehead, "I know." She murmured as Lyle fell back asleep.  
  
***  
  
Faith, who had improved greatly in the past few nights, insisted that Catherine take her bed. Catherine tried to argue but was far too tired to do so.  
  
Catherine slept most of the following day and while Parker had a million questions for her mother she patiently waited while her mother gained back her strength.  
  
Later that same day Parker and Jarod went house hunting. They just wanted to rent a larger place for a short time so everyone could feel just a little more comfortable. They found a place, very large, just outside of town. "Its gorgeous." Parker breathed.  
  
And that it was. But looks, naturally, didn't matter. They need comfort. It had a basement plus four floors, and a bathroom on every floor. It would do for now. Jarod paid the lease in cash for the next six months, though Parker doubted they would need it that long.  
  
After the woman left Parker walked out into the spacious back yard, "This reminds me of my father-" She stopped mid sentence and sucked in a breath, "I so desperately want to know which one is my father. We've assumed it to be Raines but we're not 100 percent sure."  
  
Jarod squeezed her shoulder, "I know how you must feel."  
  
Parker rubbed the hand on her shoulder, "I know you do."  
  
Parker turned around to face him, "Can you ever forgive me?"  
  
Jarod raised his eyebrows "Forgive you for what?"  
  
"Everything. Chasing you. Calling you a liar. That blowout when we were children."  
  
Jarod closed his eyes. He had long forgiven her for that blowout. He only hoped she could forgive him, "I forgave you for that incident when we kids a long time ago. I've been waiting for your forgiveness."  
  
Parker squeezed his hand, "You have that. You always have. I've just been too afraid to let you know."  
  
Jarod took a deep breath. "So hopefully now we can be friends again."  
  
Suddenly years of longing burst out of Parker as she grabbed her old childhood friend and kissed him. When they pulled back she asked, "Hopefully more?" She asked.  
  
Jarod hugged her tightly, "Defiantly more."  
  
***  
  
The next morning the large group was settled into their newest hideout and Jarod finally asked his father the question he'd been dying to ask him. They were, thankfully, alone in the back yard. Jarod burst out, "What happened to Zoe?"  
  
Major Charles bit his lip, "I'd been waiting for you to ask me that question ever since you found me again."  
  
Jarod knew right away that something awful had happened. "What happened?"  
  
"As you know Zoe's cancer was in remission."  
  
Jarod nodded, he knew this fact already.  
  
"After we left you. Zoe came with us for three and a half months before Emily, Jay, and I finally decided it was safe enough for her to return home. I gave her grandmother my number in case anything happened to her."  
  
Jarod nodded. "She's dead isn't she?"  
  
Major Charles, to both Jarod's surprise and relief said, "No. But she is dying. I was afraid to tell you for fear the Centre was watching her and you might go rushing in there to see her. Her cancer is fighting back and she's losing the battle."  
  
Jarod made up his mind right then and there that he was going to see her. He got up, "I have to see her." Before Major Charles could utter a word Jarod was packing a small bag.  
  
"Jarod what is going on?" Parker asked.  
  
Jarod turned to her, "Before the explosion in DC I was seeing someone."  
  
Parker turned just a little pale.  
  
"And now she's dying of cancer. I have to see her. One last time."  
  
Parker gripped his hand, "I'm going with you."  
  
Jarod shook his head, "Stay here. Take care of your family. OUR family."  
  
Parker kissed him, "All right. But hurry back."  
  
Jarod returned her kiss, "I will."  
  
He quickly said good-bye to everyone and hurried out the door.  
  
***  
  
He arrived at the hospital in Zoe's small hometown the next day. He asked for her room and the nurse gave him a sad look as she said, "303."  
  
He hurried up to the second floor of the hospital. He found Zoe's family sitting outside door. All were wearing depressed expressions. "Jarod!" Zoe's grandmother cried as she hurried over and hugged him. "We've been so worried about you." She lowered her voice, "She's asking for you. And you should go in now."  
  
Jarod quickly nodded and hurried in. He found Linda, Zoe's sister, holding a small child as she sat next to Zoe whispering to her. Linda looked up and surprise and anger flooded her features. Her look of anger was replaced with sympathy and she touched her sister's arm, "Jarod is here."  
  
Zoe looked up. "Hi there." She whispered.  
  
Jarod sat down and gripped her hand, "Hi. Sorry it took me so long to find you."  
  
Linda carefully placed the child in Zoe's arms and with a final glance at Jarod she left. Zoe quietly asked Jarod to pick up the child and Jarod stared down at the baby.  
  
Zoe murmured, "Her name is Katie, for my sister."  
  
"Is she-" Jarod's voice was caught in his throat.  
  
"Yes." Zoe whispered. "She is your daughter." 


	19. Chapter 19

Jarod's voice was filled with emotion as he said, "She's beautiful."  
  
Zoe gave him a weak smile. "She's nearly a year old."  
  
Jarod nodded. He had figured as much.  
  
Zoe whispered, "You told me your mother's name was Margaret and your father's name was Charles. So her full name is Katie Margaret and I gave her the last name of Charles because I didn't know your last name."  
  
"Its Thomas." Jarod muttered. He had asked his mother on the car ride from the cabin to the apartment.  
  
Zoe gave another small smile, "Katie Margaret Thomas. Its perfect."  
  
Jarod rubbed her hands and knew, from his past experiences, that she didn't wasn't going to last the night. "I love you." He told her. The tears dripping from his eyes.  
  
Two large tears spilled from each of her own eyes as she whispered, "I love you."  
  
And moments later she was gone.  
  
Jarod pulled little Katie close to her. His sobs could be heard out in the halls and Zoe's family knew right away what had happened to her. The doctors and nurses shoed them out of the room while they prepared Zoe's lifeless body for transport.  
  
Linda stood over Jarod, who was hunched in a chair in the waiting room with his daughter in his arms, "I hope you're happy."  
  
"Linda!" Her mother snapped, "How can you say such a thing? The poor man is devastated."  
  
Jarod sucked up the rest of his tears and stood up, "I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am. I loved her and it was my love that put her life in jeopardy!"  
  
"Oh don't say that dear." Zoe's grandmother said, affectionately squeezing his arm, "Zoe loved you dearly. She couldn't have been happier when you came back all those months ago and when little Katie Margaret arrived. She was a miracle baby, considering Zoe's cancer. You couldn't save her from the cancer, no one could."  
  
Jarod took in a deep breath, "No but its my fault she was away all those months. She wasn't away on an extended vacation." He knew that Zoe wouldn't have told her family that the father to her child was on the run from some private organization.  
  
Linda glared at him, "What do you mean?"  
  
"She was running."  
  
"From what?"  
  
"The people I was running from. I can't explain it all and I refuse to do so until this whole thing has blown over."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Linda snapped. "Are you some sort of criminal?"  
  
Jarod shook his head, "No. I'm on the run of criminals. And soon this whole thing is going to be over." He kissed his child's forehead and handed Zoe's grandmother, "Could you please take care of Katie for me while I finish what I've started?"  
  
Zoe's grandmother, although entirely confused, nodded.  
  
"No!" Linda cried, "Grandma, you don't have to do this. Jarod, you have no right to dump this child and your responsibilities on my grandmother!"  
  
Jarod lovingly stoked the little girls forehead, "I would give anything to take her with me but right now I would only be putting her in danger." He kissed Katie's forehead one more time, embraced Katie's great-grandma, and hurried back to Virginia.  
  
***  
  
Margaret, Charles, Catherine, and Parker were on pins and needles waiting for Jarod to return. He did so only three days after he had left. Emily jumped up from the couch, "How is she?" Emily had grown quite close to the redhead.  
  
"She's gone," Jarod croaked. He wasn't going to tell them about Katie, not until afterwards.  
  
Emily gave a chocking sob and hugged her brother tightly. After the tears had been wiped away and the noses blown. Catherine finally agreed to sit down and tell her story. "We were waiting for you to return my dear." Jarod nodded and Parker squeezed his hand tightly, as if to remind him that she was there for him as Catherine began her story. "I was only three when my parent's joined William Parker's secret society."  
  
Catherine Jamison watched with keen interest as the ritual going on before them. While only three years old she knew that she needed to be quite during something this important. Dorothy Jamison, Catherine's older sister by thirteen years, clutched her hand. It would be her time in four years. When she reached the important age of seventeen. Dorothy could hardly wait.  
  
The chants were loud and Catherine, commonly called Cat by the other children of the society, watched with a sick stomach as a young, pretty, blonde girl curled up in agony as her piercing screams hurt everyone's ears. Her body was writhing and her flesh was as bright a red as anyone had ever seen.  
  
"I was forced to watch such rituals constantly. This went on for four years. I never knew what the rituals meant. But the society was bizarre. Children whose parents belonged to William's society only socialized with other children whose parent's belonged to the society. That's how Margaret and I first met and quickly became friends. But all that soon came to end when it was Dorothy's turn to join the adults."  
  
The chanting was as loud as always as Catherine watched, extremely sick, as William Parker approached her with a dagger. She tried to fight but couldn't as he ran the dagger from her elbow to her wrist. Drawing a line of dark blood. William turned her arm and allowed the blood to pour down into a goblet he held out.  
  
Dorothy watched, as though pleased, as the goblet was passed from person to person as they slowly whispered their blessings to it. She was chained, as the other's had been, to a large circle with eight skulls on it. The Eight of Sacrifice, they were called.  
  
William Parker brought the goblet to Dorothy's lips and she drank it with a sick smile on her lips. William gestured to two burly men and the two men unchained Dorothy and she fell with a thud on the floor. William's wife, Sarah, stitched up Catherine's arm and she whimpered. Sarah planted a kiss on the seven-year-old's forehead and whispered a prayer to god, something not down here as these people worshiped the devil.  
  
Catherine whimpered not only at the thriving pain in her arm but as the sight of sister screaming in agony as her skin turned bright red. The group chanted louder and louder as Dorothy's cries became louder and louder.  
  
Sarah Parker watched in disgust before heading back up the stairs. She worshiped god not the devil and she hated the fact that such a sort processed her husband. She prayed every night for his safe return to his own self.  
  
Sarah stumbled back as flashlights and cried of "over hear!" filled the air. The chanting down stairs, on the first floor, stopped and Sarah was pushed aside as cries of "police!" were uttered.  
  
She fled back down the stairs "Children!" She called, "This way!" But it was pure chaos. Weapons were being thrown every which way and the explosions that erupted from them could be heard. She cried as William, his eyes glazed over, turned to her, "Sorry Sarah. A part of me did love you." He shot her point blank in the forehead.  
  
Catherine Jamison was huddled down next to her best friend Margaret Evans as their parents fired shot after shot as the police. These were not the parents they had loved. Catherine screamed out as she watched Dorothy fall, two bullets in her middle. She moved to go to her sister, but Margaret caught her arm, "Cat! Don't!"  
  
The screams could be heard for hours. When the fighting was finally over, both Catherine and Margaret's parents lie dead, along with their only savior, Sarah Parker. William Parker had fled.  
  
Parker felt sick to her stomach. "My god."  
  
Margaret held Catherine's hand in support. "Deep down our parents were good people." Catherine said.  
  
"Was Dad- Mr. Parker involved?" Even after all this time Merriam still couldn't help but call Mr. Parker Daddy.  
  
Catherine looked at her daughter. "No. William Parker made sure that Asher was never involved or even near these rituals while they were going on. Which did strike everyone as a bit odd. Though it was probably because of Sarah that he wasn't."  
  
Broots raised his eyebrows, "Asher?"  
  
Catherine gave him a brief nod, "That is my husband's name. Asher Parker."  
  
Kyle sat back, "I never would have guessed."  
  
Catherine nodded and then continued. "I was sent off to live with my aunt, who spent her entire life making sure I wasn't going to end up as my parents. I left the convent eventually and went on to find my own life. Margaret, on the other hand, was sent to live with her aunt and uncle."  
  
Margaret nodded. It was her turn. "I turned up on their doorstep, much to both their surprise and pleasure. I grew up with William and he was always looking after me. Once upon a time he was one of the good guys."  
  
Parker sucked in a breath, "Mama?"  
  
Catherine turned to her eldest child, "hmmm?"  
  
"Is Raines my father?"  
  
Catherine bit her lip and the entire room held their breath in anticipation. "Yes." She answered finally.  
  
Parker squeezed her eyes shut, "Oh god." When she opened them she asked, "How did it happen?"  
  
Catherine and Margaret exchanged looks. It was clear that Margaret knew as well. "It was something that NEVER should have happened." Catherine said. She pulled her hands free from Margaret and Ben and clasped her daughter's hands in her own, "But I was never sorry after you were born."  
  
"What happened?" Faith asked, unable to take the suspense any longer.  
  
Angelo looked up suddenly from a piece of the floor he was staring at and said, "Sad. Mother sad."  
  
Catherine looked at Angelo fondly before saying, "Yes, Angelo, it was sad."  
  
She pulled her hands free from her daughters and sat back. "I was raped. On Asher Parker's orders." 


	20. Chapter 20

Parker's hand flew to her mouth and the tears flooded her eyes. "He didn't!"  
  
Catherine leaned back, "He did."  
  
Ethan's eyes were as big as saucers, "And you trusted him after he did that to you?" He cried.  
  
Catherine sighed. "I trusted Raines because he trusted me once."  
  
"So what?" Kate put in, "What did he ever trust you with?"  
  
Catherine waved it away, "That doesn't matter now."  
  
Jarod slowly put his arms around Parker to steady her. She was paler than he'd ever seen her. Syd got up to get her glass of water and she slowly drank it. She took several deep breaths.  
  
"Why didn't they just use surgery of some kind?" Kyle asked.  
  
"That kind of surgery didn't exist back in the early '60s." Margaret told her son.  
  
"But the Centre is always claiming how they are on top of such things and ahead of modern science." Faith interjected.  
  
Catherine nodded, "It was only after I William raped me that the Centre performed a surgery that worked."  
  
"They couldn't wait!?" Kate cried.  
  
They were all very on edge and angry now.  
  
Catherine shook her head, "They were getting impatient. I was so stressed and depressed that Edna couldn't help but notice and soon found out what had happened. She was so angry and wanted to go right up to William and tell him what she knew. But I wouldn't allow her to do that. She would only get herself into deep trouble and god knows despite how much he loved her he might have hurt his daughter."  
  
"Daughter?" Jarod cried in surprise.  
  
Syd looked down with guilt and then back up Jarod, "You remember Annie?"  
  
"How could I forget? I had never felt more..." Jarod's voice faded out, "Oh." He said with realization.  
  
Parker patted his knee. "There was nothing you could have done."  
  
Jarod nodded numbly.  
  
"What was in the envelope that Jarod and I found?" Parker asked Margaret suddenly.  
  
Jarod, who had forgotten about the envelope, suddenly remembered that it was something that Margaret, Edna, and Catherine had put together and it couldn't be opened until they had found Catherine.  
  
Margaret handed Catherine the envelope and Catherine opened it up. "Inside are the documents needed to bring down the Centre for some of the worst crimes in history. Along with documents proving who is who."  
  
Catherine pulled out several sheets and spread them on the table. Parker picked up the first one and read out loud, "Merriam Brooke Parker. Mother Catherine Elaine Parker. Father Asher Taylor Parker." Merriam Parker raised her eyebrows and then suddenly asked, "Why did Daddy always call my Angel and everyone else Miss Parker. I knew it was William Parker's daughter's name, Daddy's aunt." She said. She didn't care if Daddy wasn't her real father it was just too impossible to go on calling him Mr. Parker.  
  
Catherine's face fell. "He tried to resurrect his the daughter he had murdered through his great-granddaughter. When William arrived in America he immediately married Sarah Wakefield, though she was far too young for him. Sarah had two children. Her eldest was a son, James and two years after him a daughter, Abigail. Abigail died of small pox when she was ten. James quickly married when he was only eighteen to a wealthy Englishwoman named Alice. He quickly soaked up her wealth on his father's secret society. Asher was born not long into their marriage followed quickly be Able, or, as you know him Mr. Raines.  
  
Now while James and Alice, though regretfully, were involved in William's society and James wanted to involve Asher in it, William wouldn't hear of it. God only knows why.  
  
After you were born William, who was very ill, came it and demanded to know what I had named her. At Margaret's suggestion you were named Merriam, for my mother. He waved it away and said that Asher should call you Angel because looked so much like one and that everyone else, including me, should call you Miss Parker, so as to raise you the proper way.  
  
I didn't understand why he was so demanding on it until I learned about Carthis, the scrolls, and the Parker legacy." Catherine finished with a deep breath.  
  
Merriam nodded slowly at her mother, "Was that the tragedy of my family's secret?"  
  
"Some of it." Catherine replied back.  
  
Sydney picked up one of the birth certificates on the table and stared down at it in shock. "What is it?" Kyle asked, sitting up.  
  
Sydney slowly read, "Name Evelyn Rose Green. Mother Elizabeth Blair Smith. Father," here he paused, almost in pain. "Jacob Ethan Green."  
  
There was a stunned silence in the room that was soon broken by footsteps coming down the stairs, "Ah yes." Lyle said, slowly coming down. "Evelyn Rose Green. Quite the magical woman."  
  
"You know her?" Syd asked in surprise.  
  
"Correction, knew her. And so did you."  
  
Parker raised her eyebrows, "He did?"  
  
Lyle's mouth formed a twisted grin, "You were there when she died oh sister dear."  
  
"I think I would have remembered that."  
  
"Oh I doubt that you'll ever forget bringing her child in the world just as she died."  
  
At the same time the same though struck Sydney, Broots, Jarod, and Parker as they all uttered, "Bridget." 


	21. Chapter 21

Lyle gave nod and sat down on one of the empty spots. Everyone, including Catherine, looked at him as though he were a serpent.  
  
"How is this possible?" Sydney cried.  
  
Margaret sighed, "Elizabeth Smith was a school teacher in Blue Cove. They had an affair. Jacob knew nothing of the child's existence and Elizabeth died giving birth to her. Evelyn was raised in a foster home in New Jersey before she came to work at the Centre."  
  
Parker and Sydney both tried to grasp this information. Parker's little brother, correction cousin, was actually Sydney's nephew!? Parker closed her eyes in pain, "I don't know how many more of these daytime soap twists, surprises, and revelations I can take."  
  
"That should be about the last shocker." Catherine put in, "If that helps."  
  
Jarod got up and opened up his medic bag nearby and pulled out a tube filled with a bright yellow liquid. "Don't even think about it." Lyle said.  
  
Jarod turned to Ethan and Kyle, "A little help?"  
  
Ethan grabbed Lyle's arms while Kyle grasped his legs and the two men pinned down the nine-fingered man as Jarod injected him with the liquid in the tube to make him sleep. Ethan and Kyle hauled Lyle back up to his bedroom and tied him to keep him there.  
  
When the two returned the group settled back into their discussion. Margaret and Catherine pointed out the sorts of crimes that had been committed by the Centre and Catherine confessed that there was a government agent willing to take a look at this proof and was willing to put people behind bars.  
  
After much talk and discussion it was realized that the crimes listed would only punish those nearest the top and those in Africa. Margaret placed the documents in a new envelope, addressed it, and mailed it the next morning.  
  
The day went by fine enough until a team of sweepers burst into the house. Parker jumped as Raines entered, dragging behind him his precious oxygen tank. "Well, well living with the enemy are we?"  
  
Catherine Parker stepped out from the laundry room and said, "And you haven't changed a bit."  
  
Raines jumped at the sound of the voice and stared at his old victim, "Holy shit!" He swore. "How's this possible? I-I-I shot you! I killed you."  
  
"Oh Will you never were an accurate won were you?" Margaret asked, coming down the stairs. Raines paled even more, if that was even possible. It was all over now and he knew it. They all knew it.  
  
The sweepers were unwilling to admit defeat and soon held everyone pinned back and Lyle was loose.  
  
Kate Pike was not going to let them come in here and still the family she had just found. Oh no. Not today. Not any day. She let loose a shriek that startled everyone and kicked her leg high up, hitting the sweeper who was holding her, straight it the face.  
  
The room was soon engulfed in chaos. Parker, following her sister's lead, kicked her leg higher than she had though humanly possible. Willie fell to ground and she grabbed for his gun. The wrestled for it for a few moments before Parker caught it in her hand.  
  
Parker stood up, foot on Willie's chest, looking for someway to help someone but everyone was engulfed in their own battle. Willie took advantage of standing up and slammed his fist into her weak knee. She collapsed on the floor and Willie was on her in a second.  
  
Relief came a few moments later when sirens came blaring through and the house was suddenly filled with men and women in blue uniforms.  
  
Two men pulled Willie off Parker and she got up. "NO!" She cried as she glanced down at a frail looking Kate. She scurried over, quickly joined by Ethan, Ben, and Catherine. "Kate. Oh god." She lifted her younger sister's head into her lap.  
  
The younger woman moaned slightly as she looked up at her identical. Parker brushed away the blood from her lips but that wouldn't stop the bleeding that was coming from her stomach. Ethan applied pressure to the wound as Ben cried, "Get an ambulance!"  
  
Kate smiled faintly at her family, "Thank you." She whispered. "For being my family. I-I-" She faltered for the words she needed to complete her sentence. "I love you all." She whispered. "I will-" She paused as she sucked in deep breath, "I'll always be." But her voice drifted off as her soul left her body.  
  
A cry of anguish left Catherine Parker's lips only seconds later.  
  
Jarod watched all this with tears falling down his cheeks. First Zoe and now Kate.  
  
"Jarod!" Harm cried, fighting his way to Jarod. He clapped the man on the back.  
  
"You called the police." It wasn't a question.  
  
Mac, standing behind Harm, nodded, "Yeah. We came by but we saw a lot of freaky men watching the house so we-" She dropped off in mid sentence as she stared down, "Oh.Kate."  
  
Harms attention was riveted to the floor at Kate's body. "Oh no."  
  
***  
  
Kate's funeral was held a few days later. Harm contacted her adoptive parents, who did attend the funeral. When they saw Miss Parker they nearly dropped dead themselves. "You must be Kate's sister."  
  
Parker nodded, "Yes. My name is Merriam. And this is Kate's-" It seemed rather rude to introduce Catherine and Ben as Kate's parents to her adoptive parents. "Biological parents." Parker decided on. "Catherine Parker and Ben Miller."  
  
The four of them shook hands, "May I ask you something?" Kate's mother asked.  
  
"Anything you like." Catherine replied.  
  
"Why did you give up Kaitlin?"  
  
"I didn't. She was kidnapped from me when she was little."  
  
"Oh." Her hand fluttered to her mouth. "I'm sorry. We didn't know."  
  
Catherine patted the other woman's shoulder as she fought back her own tears, "I know."  
  
The funeral was rather simple and short. Kate's headstone simply read. Kaitlin Marie Pike. Birth January 4, 1963. Death June 15, 2002.  
  
Parker closed her eyes, "Rest in peace Kaitlin."  
  
***  
  
Two days after Kate's funeral Jarod finally told his family and Parker about Katie Margaret. Emily clucked her tongue, "I thought there was something fishy about the way she had been eating."  
  
Charles shook his head, but he was smiling. "Well let us retrieve that daughter of yours shall we?"  
  
They looked quite a site in that little town when they arrived. Charles, Margaret, Emily, Ethan, Kyle, Jarod, and Jay. Zoe's grandmother was sitting on the porch when they arrived. She embraced Jarod warmly. "It's so good to see you." She looked at the others and then back at Jarod, the question on her face.  
  
Jarod introduced them, "These are my parents Margaret and Charles, my sister Emily, and my brothers Ethan, Kyle, and Jay."  
  
She invited them all in for tea and when they entered Jarod was sorry he had. Linda glared up at him from the couch. She sent her husband up to retrieve Katie. "Oh." Margaret breathed, "She's perfect." Margaret scooped her up out of Jarod's arms.  
  
"Well, Jarod," Linda said in a disapproving voice, "is the danger over with now?"  
  
Jarod shot her a smug look, "Yes. I will be taking Katie with me when I go."  
  
Linda nodded, "Where will you go?"  
  
Jarod's family all exchanged puzzled looks. They hadn't really gotten that far. "We're not sure yet." Jarod answered.  
  
Linda crossed her arms, "You are not going to turn my niece into her mother!" She snapped.  
  
Jarod opened his mouth to argue that he'd rather have Katie turn out like her mother than like Linda but thought better of it and replied, "We'll be settling down somewhere soon. I'm sure."  
  
They left that afternoon with the promise that Katie would come back for a visit later that year.  
  
THE END 


End file.
